Page 48 of Fall I Want
“Good call. He could be watching us right now,” she says, then holds my hand a little tighter. “You know, my life would be easier if people thought I was dating someone.”
“Is that the tequila talking?”
She shakes her head. “My parents, my friends, the fairy godmothers, everyone in my life wants me to move on from Sebastian and I haven’t. Having you close would clear me from putting myself out there, at least until the new year.”
I’ll do whatever I have to in order to stop that from happening.
“Do you want to negotiate?” I ask with a brow popped.
“That word again.” The warm glow of the streetlamp gives me the perfect view of her.
“If I go to my father’s wedding in two weeks, I’ll need a date for the ten days I’m there,” I breathe out. “My ex will be there and I’d love to give her a taste of the same medicine we delivered to Sebastian. She’s made my life hell for six months and everyone is also convinced I’ll never move on. Be my girlfriend, let me propose, and have them eating out of our palms. In exchange, I’ll play boyfriend until you say stop.”
“Okay, and what happens when we don’t get married?”
I shrug. “We’ll just say it didn’t work out, like the others.”
“Others? How many times have you been engaged?”
“Twice. Both mistakes.”
“Oh,” she says. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m not,” I state, because I would’ve never met her.
“So, I have two weeks to get to know you well enough that the idea of us being together is at least believable?”
“Yep, and I have nothing to hide from you, so ask me anything, anytime.”
“You might regret saying that.” She chuckles then grows quiet. “This deal is unfair. I’m spending a week with you, and you have to hang out with me for months.”
“Trust me, it’s more than equal. You haven’t been around my family and acquaintances. Do you want time to think about it?”
She tilts her head at me, like she’s thinking about it. “No. I need a little adventure in my life and I’m curious what yours is like. Are you sure you won’t regret wasting your third engagement on me?”
This makes me laugh. “Nah. No one really expects me to get married, anyway. I’m hard to please, apparently.”
She smiles. “Same.”
“Oh, I forgot to mention that it’s being held at our private islandresort in the Caribbean. We’ll have a villa close to the water and there will be plenty of beach time between events.”
Her mouth falls open. “I’m getting a much better deal.”
“Do you have your passport?”
“Of course I do.”
“Perfect. So, what do you say?” I ask.
She holds out her hand and we shake on it.
“No backing out,” she warns.
“Never.” A grin fills my face as I lift her knuckles to my lips and kiss them. “I finally met my equal.”
“Funny, because I was thinking the same thing.”
“With that being said.” Autumn pulls her hand away. “We should probably make some sort of rules to protect ourselves.”
